Summary: Our God is Holy and He expects those who love Him to be holy also!

 Today we are going to look an attribute of God that is one that is central to God and who He is.

 The attribute that I want us to consider today is one that when we understand it, it will change our whole outlook on our relationship with God. Once we understand this attribute, we will start to understand many of the things that God wants us to do and why. It will help us to see the importance of spiritual growth and it will help us to see the goal that God has for us. We will also understand why it is so important for us to try to reach toward this attribute in our lives.

 Today we are going to look at the attribute of holiness.

 What comes to mind when you hear the word “holy”? Does it stir up positive thoughts? In the mind of many, "holy" means; narrow-minded, uptight, judgmental, detached, Victorian and other negative words.

 We are going to look at what it means for something to considered holy. We will see that our God is holy and that because He is holy, there are implications for us. Finally we will see the steps we need to take to be holy.

 In the first chapter of this book, Peter spends time talking about our faith and our salvation. Peter states that these things are important to us and because of them, we are to be more like the God who is going to save us and in whom we place our faith. This starts in verse thirteen.

SERMON

I. GOD IS HOLY! VERSE 16

In verse 16 we are told that God is holy. Before we discuss that, let’s look at what the word “holy” means.

A. The Meaning of “Holy”

 The basic meaning of the word is “to set apart”. This applies to places where God is present, like the Temple and the tabernacle, and to things and persons related to those holy places or to God Himself.

 Next, it means to be “perfect, transcendent, or spiritually pure, evoking adoration and reverence.” This applies primarily to God, but secondarily to saints or godly people. (Isaiah 6 is an example)

 Next, it means something or someone who evokes “veneration or awe, being frightening beyond belief.” This is clearly the application to God and is the primary meaning of “holy.” This speaks of God, but also of places or things or persons which have been set apart by God’s presence. (Moses and the burning bush) A saint is a holy person. To be sanctified is to be made holy.

 Holiness is a general term used to indicate sanctity or separation from all that is sinful, impure, or morally imperfect; i.e., it is moral wholeness. The term is used with reference to persons, places, and things.

 The words sanctification, sanctify, consecrate and saint are all from the same root word.

 When we say that something is holy, we are saying that it is set aside for special service. The temple was called “holy” because it was set aside for a special purpose. Priests were “holy” because they were set aside for a special purpose. The furniture in the temple was “holy” because it was set aside for a special purpose.

 God is called holy.

B. Biblical references

 LEV 11:44 ’For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.

 LEV 19:2 "Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ’You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

 REV 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." ISAIAH 6:3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

C. Holiness as applied to God.

1. God is perfect.

 God is worthy of praise because He is perfect! Everything God does and everything that God says is perfect and pure.

 God’s ways are perfect. God will always lead you down the right path, God will always do what is best for you.

 God’s knowledge is perfect. God’s counsel for you will always be right.